Time to Shine by Nikki Carter Read Free Book Online

face. He’s not the only one who doesn’t understand Evan, though. We’re all pretty befuddled.
    â€œWhat about my sophomore album?” Dreya says. “You said we were gonna talk about that, right, babe?”
    Evan’s nose flares a bit. I can’t decipher if the look is irritation or anger, but I can tell that he doesn’t like being interrupted when he thinks he’s on a roll.
    â€œI did say we would talk about your album. So let’s do that right now. Sunday, Drama says you aren’t exactly motivated to work on her new songs.”
    â€œI’m not motivated to do anything at all for Dreya’s career.”
    Big D says, “Sunday, regardless of how you feel right now about your cousin, working on her record is just more money in the bank for you. Don’t let somebody else get your paper.”
    â€œAnd I’m even willing to get some new producers,” Evan says, “since you seem to be having some issues with Sam as well.”
    â€œI’ve figured out a way to collaborate with Sam without seeing him. I’ll send him my vocals, and he can build the tracks around them.”
    â€œI want y’all in the lab together like y’all did on Bethany’s stuff,” Dreya says. “Y’all gave her a hot album.”
    I shake my head. “Not happening. Send me some other producers to the lab if you want, but there’s no way I’m going to be in the same room with Sam.”
    â€œWhat if I give you bonus points on the album?” Evan asks.
    I lift an eyebrow and ponder this. Evan is speaking my language—Benjamins. “How many extra?”
    â€œEnough to add to your already substantial stash of loot.”
    I run my fingers over the crown medallion on my neck, the Reign Records symbol. “Okay. I’ll do it. I won’t like it, but if y’all are convinced that Sam and I have to be joined at the hip to write music, I’ll do it. But he has to work around my schedule.”
    â€œYou always have to be in control, don’t you?” Dreya asks. “You were like that when we were in Daddy’s Little Girls, and now you’re trying to do it with my album.”
    â€œWait. What is Daddy’s Little Girls?” Evan asks.
    Evan met us after we’d become solo artists with Big D. Obviously, he doesn’t know that Dreya, Bethany, and I started off as a group, and that I wrote the songs and did all of the vocal arrangements.
    Bethany says, “We used to be a girl group. It seems like such a long time ago, but it was only last year.”
    â€œSing something,” Evan says.
    â€œHip Hop Bugle Boy, in one, two, three, four, five, six, seven . . .”
    We bust out the harmonies on En Vogue’s popular song, like we were the ones who made it famous. The runs are perfect, the ad libs are perfect, and every note is totally on pitch. We were always a good group when Dreya actually opened her mouth up to sing.
    â€œThat was hot,” Evan says. “Y’all should consider doing a few songs together.”
    Dreya sucks her teeth and frowns. “I don’t even think so. I am a solo artist. Period. Girl groups ain’t hot.”
    â€œThink of it as your gimmick. Reign Records’s gimmick.” Evan paces the room tapping his chin in thought. “Every time a Reign Records artist releases an album, there should be a group collaboration.”
    â€œWell, what about me?” Dilly asks. “I’m a Reign Records artist.”
    â€œYou could rap on whatever track they do.”
    I shake my head. “I want to keep my brand separate from Dreya. She’s not really all that positive, and I’m getting covers of teen magazines.”
    â€œThink about it!” Bethany says. “It would be a way for each of us to cross-promote our records to each other’s fan bases. And no one in the industry right now can hit harmonies like us.”
    â€œBig D, what do